Land Disputes Threaten Peace- Brandy Entreats Media Scaled up Reportage on Land Governance

As part of efforts aimed at mitigating conflicts associated with land ownership and land security, Dr. Cecil Brandy, chairman of the Interim Land Task Force, has called for a scaled up media reportage on land governance, management systems and processes in order to mitigate threat to the country’s peace and security.

Addressing the regular press briefing yesterday at the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) on Capitol Hill in Monrovia, Dr. Brandy mentioned that unless the land issue is addressed by all stakeholders, land disputes will continue to pose serious threat to peace in the country.Brandy indicated that the presidential interim land task force with support from the United States Agency for International Development USAID, Liberia Governance Support Activity (LGSA) will today host the first national media conference on land to help scale up reportage on land.He commented that the event which brings together reporters, editors, publishers, station managers, other media practitioners and major stakeholders in the media and land sectors takes place at the Monrovia City Hall.“The conference is a milestone for Liberia and it allows for an inclusive dialogue between the media and land stakeholders and how both actors can work together in information dissemination and exchange, public education and participation of happenings in the Liberian land sector relative to land governance”, Brandy stressed.He emphasized that the media plays a critical role in ensuring that citizens have a better understanding of land policies, land administration and management systems and processes, which would in turn help to reduce to the minimum some of the many conflicts there are, in doing land business.“The LGSA is proud to be associated with this event. It is a five year USAID funded project that supports the establishment of more effective land governance systems to implement comprehensive reforms to improving equitable access to land and security of tenure for all”, Dr. Brandy added.